1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for conveying continuous corrugated members, such as corrugated fins which are used in the cores of automobile radiators, automobile heaters, condensers in cooling apparatuses in automobiles, or other heat exchangers, or the like. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for conveying continuous corrugated members, cut to predetermined lengths and having predetermined number of crests, one by one from a corrugated member forming apparatus in which the corrugated members are continuously made, to a subsequent assembly station, such as a core assembly apparatus, at a very high speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In, for example, a radiator core assembly lines, fins are discharged one by one from a fin forming apparatus in which relatively weak corrugated fins having a predetermined number of crests are continuously made. The fins discharged from the fin forming apparatus are fed one by one into a core assembly apparatus, in which the corrugated fins and heat exchanging tubes are alternatively aligned to form a core assembly for, for example, radiators, by a fin feeding apparatus. Between the fin feeding apparatus and the fin forming apparatus is provided a fin conveying apparatus, which conveys the fins one by one.
The fin forming apparatus usually has a fin forming station in which corrugated fins are continuously made from an elongated sheet (blank) and are continuously fed in the direction of the length thereof, a crest contracting station in which the pitch of the crests of the corrugated fins is contracted, and a cutting station in which the corrugated fins are cut to a predetermined length having a predetermined number of crests prior to or subsequent to the contraction of the pitch of the crests. The corrugated fins having the predetermined number of crests are continuously fed in the length direction thereof from the fin forming apparatus after undergoing cutting and contraction operations in the cutting and contracting stations.
To realize an automatic assembly line, the fin forming apparatus and the core assembly apparatus are associated with each other in such a manner that the corrugated fins made by the fin forming apparatus are successively and automatically fed into the core assembly apparatus. Recently, an increase in the speed of formation of the corrugated fins in the fin forming apparatus and the assembly of the cores in the core assembly apparatus has been attempted, in response to a need to increase the speed of formation of the cores as a whole. In order to respond to this speed increase requirement, it is necessary to realize a conveying apparatus which can stably convey the fins continuously discharged from the fin forming apparatus, into the core assembly apparatus at a high speed.
In conventional fin conveying apparatuses, the fins which are continuously discharged from the fin forming apparatus in the lengthwise direction of the fins are fed one by one in the same lengthwise direction into the core assembly apparatus. It is necessary to hold a temporary stock of the fins between the fin forming apparatus and the core assembly apparatus, to ensure a smooth feed of the fins, taking the speed of formation of the fins in the fin forming apparatus into consideration. This means the use of a very large space for stocking the fins.
To solve the problem mentioned above, there is also known a fin conveying apparatus in which the fins continuously discharged from the forming apparatus along a first path extending in the lengthwise direction of the fins are pushed onto a second path which extends perpendicular to the first longitudinal path, by means of a pusher, such as a pneumatic cylinder device (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,613,034, 4,321,739). With this arrangement, the fins can be effectively stocked in the second path perpendicular to the lengthwise direction. However, in this arrangement, it is necessary to prevent the fins, which are relatively weak and elastic, from deformation or misalignment in the passage during the conveyance from the first path to the second path and during the passage of the fins along the second path.
Conventionally, the means for a transition of the fins from the first path to the second path perpendicular to the first path includes a chute or an inclined plate which extends between the first and second paths, so that the fins are pushed onto the chute from the first longitudinal path and then slide down the chute onto the second lateral path. However, since the fins are allowed to slide freely down the chute, the fins may fall off the chute or the second path or may have an irregular posture, particularly in the case where the feeding speed of the fins is very high.
It is also known to use conveyance bars having rolling wheels at opposite ends thereof which convey the fins transferred onto the second path from the chute. Also in this conventional solution, the corrugated fins may be deformed or fall off the chute under a high speed feeding of the fins.